Tank-car valve



- Oct 30, 1928.

A. M. DOW

TANK CAR VALVE Original Filed Feb. 9, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 30,1928;

A. M. DOW

TANK CAR VALVE 2 SheetsSheet swwwtoz fllbertMlZoaz.

Original Filed Feb. 9, 1921 Patented Oct. 30, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT M. DOW, OF EL PASO, TEXAS.

TANK-CAR VALVE.

Application filed February 9,1921, Serial No. 443,578. Renewed January17, 1928.

The invention relates to a tank outlet comprising a dischargevalve anddischarge pipe for tank cars, and has for its object to provide animproved discharge valve and pipe which are simple in construction andeflicient in operation and by which the valve is accessible from theoutside of the car, so as to be removed or adjusted without thenecessity of first cleaning the car.

A further object of the invention is to provide a valve and dischargepipe having opposing flanges Which, when riveted together, form a rigidconnection; whereby in the event of the tank becoming kinked due to itsshifting, or if the discharge pipe be broken,

the unseating of the valve will be prevented.

A'further object of the invention is to provide a flexible connectionsuch as a universal joint above the valve, so that ifthe valvecage anddischarge pipe should be thrown out of alinement the lift rod will notpull the valve from its seat.

A further object of the invention is to provide a valve havinga cage orhousing which prevents the unseating of the'valve due to surging of theliquid in the tank.

A further object of the invention is to provide the valve housing with acap or other suitable retaining means to prevent the valve :flOIl] beinglifted from its housing by the operator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cast iron dischargepipe adapted to be screwed into a flange riveted to the valve housing inthe usual location on thebottom of the tank and which pipe maybe removedby simply unscrewing it from the flange.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lead gasket betweenthe cage and discharge pipe to insure a tight joint between the two.

A further object of the invention is to provide a valve cageor housingwhich in addition to forming a guide for the valve, prevents thelodgment of dirt, trash or sediment underv the valve.

With such objects: in view as well as other advantages which may beincident'to the use of the improvements,.the invention consists in theparts andcombinations'thereo f hereinafter set forth and claimed withthe understanding that the several necessary elements constituting thesame may be varied in'proortions and arrangement without departmg fromthe nature and scope. of the invenin a plane transversely of the tankcar with which it is adapted to be used, the discharge plpe be ngillustrated as partially broken away- Fig. 2 is a central verticalsection of the invention on a tank car.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.. p

teferringto the drawings z- 1 indicates the usual metal tank preferablyof cylindrical formation and which is suitably apertured as at 2 for theattachment of the present invention. 3 indicates the planelongitudinally of the valve cage or housing adapted to be posi-f tionedon the inside of the tank over the aperture 2 and which is opposed by acirculair flanged member 4 on the outside ofthe tank. The circularflange 5 of the housing is rigidly connected to the member 4 by rivetspassing through the tank 1 and holes 5 and 6 in the housing 3 andflanged member 4 respectively. The housing 3 is preferably cut away asat 7 to assist in permitting the admission of the oil or fluid in thetank to the valve. v

The flanged member 4 is provided with :a centrally positioned screwthreaded aperture 8 adapted to receive a similarly screw-threadeddischarge pipe 9wl1ich is adapted to receive on its lower end adischarge valve cap (not shown) in the usual manner. An annular gasket10, preferably of lead, rests in an annular seat or depression 11 on thetop surface of the discharge pipe 9 which insures a fluid tightjointbetween the latter and an annulus or ring 12 at or on the bottom of thevalve cage or housing. I

The upper part of the discharge pipe 9 is cut away to form a recess 13lnto which an annulus 14 is adapted to be screwthreaded tighth against.the removable valve seat member or annulus 1%. Thus it will be ap parentthat when it is desired to inspect or renew the valve seat access may beobtained by simply unscrewing the discharge pipe 9 from the member a andit will not be necessary to first enter the tank 1.

The housing 3 is provided with a plurality of ports 17 which permit theadmission of oil or other liquid when it is desired to empty or detractfrom the contents of the tank. It will be apparent. that thisconstruction of the housing will prevent any possibility of the valve 16becon'iing unscated due to surging o'lthe liquid in the tank.

The valve it} i provided above its annular seating portion. with aseries of radiall (Zitending wings or guides 18 which serve to positioitthevalve within the housing in a vertical position and to permit itsrotation on its seat. Above the guides 18 the valve member'is providedwith a central upwardly cxtending vertical stem 19 terminating in auniversal joint .or other flexible connection (our prising preferablyacentrally bored member 20 in which the valve stem 19 is rigidlv tixed bymeans of a pin 21. The member 20 is bifurcated forming cars 22 betweenwhich a member 23 l)i\'0inll mounted by means of a pin 24;. Theiiielnber L3 is'in turn pivotallv mbunted by means of a pin 2:") betweenears Elli of a member 27 substantially similar in construction to themember 20. A continuation 28 of the valve stem is rigidl fixed in themember 27 by a pin and this valve stem 28 extends to tihe'top of thetank or to any desired point where it is accessible to manipulate thevalve from the outside of the tank in the usual manner. Thus it will beapparent that in the event of the valve cage or housing and dischargepipe being thrown out of all .cment. the above described flexibleconnection will prevent the valve from being pulled from its seat andalso serves to maintain the valve 16 tightl v seated despite rough orcareless handling of the valve stem 28 by the operator.

hen it is desired to discharge the content s of the tank 1 the operatorpulls uprard on the valve stem 28. thus raising the valve 16 from itsposition on the seat 11 and the liquid within the tank will flow throughthe ports 17' and cut away portion 7 of the housing to the dischargepipe 9 and thence to its desired destination. To resent the valve it isonly necessary to release the rod 28 whereupon the valve 16 aided by thepressure of the liquid. within the tank is forced down upon its seat 15and further egress of the liquid from the tank is thereby prevented.

The housing 3 is provided with cover 30 which is screw-threaded at 31 tothe top of the housing and is apertured as at 32 to permit thelongitudinal travel of the valve stem therethrough. The cover 30prevents the valve structure from being withdrawn from the housing 3during the itltll'llpllltti ion of the valve. The guides 18 strikeagainst the in- 'ardl v extending. circuni'lerentiallv llnnflutlshoulder 33 bus preventing the valve l'rom being li'l'tcd 'l'rom thehousing 2-).

The discharge pipe 9 providwl with a cireuniterential groove. or wakened p rtion a sl ght distance below the. flang d membe -l-. In theevent: of the discharge pipe striking an ol'istructimi on the track. itwill break at the point and not be torn loose from the, tank with theresult of nun-ting o t' the ntire contents of the ar.

What claimed is" 'l. A discharge valve and discharge pipe for tank cars.com 'irising in conlbinat ion a tank. a valve housing on the interiorthereof. a flanged member opposing said valve housing on the exterior ofsaid tank and rigidly secured to said tank and said housing. a dischargepipe removablv secured to said flanged member. a valve seat removablycarried by said discharge pipe. a valve contained within said housingand adapted to rest on said valve seat. means for operating said valvefrom the. outside of said tank, and means carried by said discharge pipeto effect a liquid tight eonn'eetion between said diseharge pipe andsaid valve housing.

2. A discharge valve and discharge pipe for tank cars, comprising incombination a tank. a valve housing on the interior thereof. a flangedmember opposing said alve housing on the exterior of said tank andrigidly secured to said tank and said housing. a discharge pipercmovablv secured to said flanged member. a valve seat removablv carriedby said discharge pipe. a valve eontained within said housing andadapted to rest on said valve seat. meansl'or operating said valve fromthe outside of said tank. and means carried by said discharge pipe toetlect a liquid tight eonnection between said discharge pipe and saidvalve housing. said means comprising an annular gasket.

3. In a discharge valve and discharge pipe for tank cars. in combinationa circumferentiallv curved and apcrturml tank. a valve housing on theint'erioro't said tanksaid valve housing haviun a convexlv curved flangeconforming with the curve of said tank. an oppo. sitelv disposed flangedmember on the exterior of said tank. the flange of said member beint.concave and conforming with the curve of said tank. a discharge piperemovablv secured to said flanged member. said discharge pipe having aflat gasket retaining seat and a valve seat, a seat ring arranged withinthe aperture of said tank. said seat. ring having its upper side curvedto conform with the curve of Ffll l tank and havina its lower side flat.a gasket on said gasket retaining seat of said discharae pipe forming aliquid tight connection between said discharge pipe and said seat ring.

ion

Lssanes means for connecting said housing and flanged member with thetank, a valve slidably mounted in said housing and resting normally onsaid valve seat and means whereby the valve may belifted from its seat.

4. The combination with a tank car of a valve housing rigidly securedwithin said car; a removable outlet pipe retaining ring rigidly securedto said tank car and to said housing; a valve movable within saidhousing to allow flow of the contents of thecar to said outlet pipe,said housing havingports therein and said housing also being adapted torestrain lateral movement of said valve; means adapted to lift saidvalve said means having connections to allow a transverse rockingmovement of said means between the valve stem and the upper end of saidmeans.

5. The combination with a tank car of a valve guidefhousing havingenlarged ports therein; .a valve liftable therein having means engagingsaid guide housing to prevent lateral displacement of said valve; meansfor lifting said valve,

said means having connections with said valve to allow proper seating ofsaid valve should any coacting elements be distort-ed said housinghaving a flange adapted to be secured to said tank; a retaining ringadapted to be secured on the outside of said tank opposite to saidhousing flange; means passing through said ring, said tank and saidhousing flange to rigidly se'ouresaid parts together, and an outlet pipeengaging with said ring and afl'orcling a seat for said valve.

ALBERT. M. Dow.

